YMMV / Lion: Son of the Forest

• Ass Pull: One of the few criticisms leveled against the book is that the scenes of the Lion acquiring new weapons feel Merchandise-Driven (as the book was released alongside a new tabletop model for the Lion) and shoehorned into the plot with no further relevance.
  • Fealty, the Cool Sword, appears out of nowhere in the middle of an action scene with no explanation other than the Lion briefly dipping into the Forest and seeing it there. Where it came from and why it appeared at that particular moment is never explained, and the characters never wonder about it after its introduction.
  • The government of Avalus just coincidentally happens to be in possession of a relic pistol sized for a Primarch.
  • The Shield of the Emperor is a mixed bag, as while it comes out of nowhere, the scene itself is liked by many due to featuring the Lion going through a Boss Rush of all his brothers.
• Broken Base: While nowhere near to the same extent as some other Warhammer 40K debacles, there are some disagreements within the fandom about the book:
  • The Lion himself prompted discourse; some readers are disappointed by his Lighter and Softer portrayal here, and say they are missing the unrepentant, murderous asshole from the Horus Heresy, while others are happy to see that the Trauma Conga Line he underwent between then and now resulted in legitimate character development, and enjoy the Older and Wiser Lion.
  • The plot being a Lower-Deck Episode has been welcomed by some readers, who are glad that the Lion isn't immediately launched into the upper tier of galactic politics and enjoy the adventure story vibe of the book. Others, however, are disappointed that the book did not tackle the Dark Angels Myth Arc in any substantial capacity, with no appearances from Luther, Cypher or any of the modern-day Sons of the Lion.
• Memetic Mutation: Calling the Risen the "Rizzen"^Explanation A pun on "rizz", slang term for charisma/game became a semi-common joke following the book.

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